Following the suicide of Dr. Payal Tadvi, corporators across party lines have called for reforms in all civic hospitals and medical colleges in the city. The death has rocked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) health administration and exposed several lacunae.
Leader of opposition Ravi Raja took up a motion in the general assembly on Friday, condemning the doctor’s death. “Tadvi had complained to the management about harassment, but the insensitive management did not pay attention. If the hospital had acted on it, the death could have been prevented.” He listed out the number of mishaps happened in the same hospital, and held the hospital’s dean responsible for the shoddy administration.
Supporting his statement, NCP leader Rakhi Jadhav said this is a major embarrassment for the BMC. “Doctors are repeatedly ragged by their colleagues. Besides, resident doctors’ working hours are not fixed. They sometimes work for 24 hours at a stretch, under a lot of pressure. Something needs to be done.”
Samajwadi Party leader Rais Shaikh, who had taken up issues related to Nair hospital in the past, said, “Had the hospital administration paid attention to our complaints, this would not have happened. This suicide also says a lot about the work culture in our hospitals. One should see the working conditions of resident doctors. The dean is unable to devote time to both the hospital and college.”
BJP corporator Abhijit Samant alleged that Tadvi would not even be allowed to have breakfast. “She would be given work and her breakfast would be thrown in the dustbin. That was the level of harassment.”
All corporators collectively demanded a detailed inquiry into the matter.
Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi, who was attending his first general assembly, said, “We have taken note of all this. The doctors concerned have been suspended and a police probe is under way. We will inquire into all allegations. To ensure this incident is not repeated, we will look into strengthening the anti-ragging committee.”